


A Growing Trust

by orphan_account



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: A lot of them - Freeform, Arc Reactor, Because I'm Always A Slut For Scar Worship Let Me Tell You, Because There Just Isn't Enough Happy Tony Fics, Body Worship, But He Fixes It Like The Good Wizard Boyfriend He Is, But It Is Very Suggestive, Couch Cuddles, Domestic Bliss, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Everyone Is Alive, Happy Tony Stark, Insecure Tony, Kisses, M/M, No Smut, Nobody is Dead, Non-Sexual Body Worship, Okay Now That's Out of they Way, Scar Worship, Scarred Arc Reactor To Be More Specific, Shirtless Tony, Short One Shot, Stephen Lowkey Fucks Up, Therefore Mature Rating, straight to the point
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-04
Updated: 2018-08-04
Packaged: 2019-06-21 12:26:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15557694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: “You are perfect, just the way you are, and you have nothing to be ashamed of. We can go as slow or as fast as you want, but you don't have to feel scared about the way you look. I’ve never seen anyone more beautiful, and what’s underneath your shirt is not going to change that.” Stephen reassured, giving Tony a moment’s pause to mull over his words. “What do you want me to do Tony?”





	A Growing Trust

**Author's Note:**

> Yo! So Tony's Arc Reactor being scarred like hell right?? Stephen being a supportive boyfriend and thinking his scars are beautiful right?? Stephen tracing over Tony's scars and being totally enraptured by them right??
> 
> Right. In this essay I will-

Tony was a closed off man who had to take steps in opening himself up to someone, that was something Stephen knew he was signing up for before they even started dating, but he did not expect Tony to be so abrupt when it came to opening up. Like secrets would bubble up and explode only when Tony carried the needle, and he poked through said bubble only when surrounded by a vacuum. Hoping that what he said didn’t have weight or matter in the slightest; that they’ll just fall back until gravity sets in and forgets all about it. Take for the example the time Tony had confessed his feelings to Strange right as the two were helping Peter and his poor arm out of a miscalculated web shot. 

It was his armor, a way to avoid the total impact of the punch, and Stephen had long since realized that. However, there were just some things you can’t just brush off with a quick flit of the wrist. Despite his best efforts, Tony couldn’t always hide.   
“Tony,” Stephen whispered, carding his fingers through Tony’s hair.   
“Hm?” Tony hummed, nuzzling his face closer to Stephen’s chest. Despite being one of the most hidden people, he sure was needy. Stephen barely made his way to the couch before Tony was all over him. It was a long day though, and the feeling of Tony’s devotion was something that quickly eased the tension out of Stephen’s shoulders.   
“I love you.”  
“I love you too.” Tony lazily muttered, pushing himself up from from his boyfriend’s chest and instead looking up to meet his eyes. Tony had dark brown eyes that clouded over with what Stephen could only describe as adoration whenever the two found themselves alone together. As if Tony saw just Stephen and nothing else.   
“You’re gorgeous.” Stephen said, his eyes mapping out every part of Tony’s face. Committing every angle, scar and freckle to memory. Tony didn’t reply back, he just smiled, leaned in and caught Stephen's lips with his own. 

The kiss was deliberate and idle, there was no rush and no reason. Just each other and the sparks that flew between them. It wasn’t until the two needed air did they part, Tony bit at his lip with a dazed smile and Stephen swore he saw him glow.  
“You are… amazing.” Tony drawled, his hands ghosting up and down Stephen’s arms. Electric chills sparked down Stephen’s spine and warmth spread all throughout his stomach. Tony was otherworldly sometimes, it made Stephen’s head go blank. He opened his mouth to try and say something, but words were at a loss. 

Because thoughts couldn’t form into sentences, Stephen just gave up and pulled Tony back in. Tony sighed into the kiss and Stephen visibly shuddered; Tony smiled against Stephen's lips and Stephen broke out into goose bumps. The iron hero threw his arms around Stephen’s neck and pushed himself up into his lap after a long moment of kissing, arching every bit of himself into Stephen. Tony hummed around Stephen’s kiss until every part of himself was flushed a bright red. The two had never gone very far from kissing, but tonight seemed different, like the air was heavier with an added layer of arousal. 

Stephen hovered his fingers under the hem of Tony’s shirt, trying to push past their boundaries just the slightest.   
“Wait,” Tony said, backing off Stephen and shoving away his hand. “I… I’m sorry Stephen. I’m just-”  
“Hey hey hey, it’s okay.” Stephen cut in, stopping Tony’s panic attack before it could start. “It’s fine babe, it’s okay. I’m sorry, I should have asked.” Stephen shushed, slowly folding his arms around Tony’s waist so his arms pushed his sides. It worked somewhat, making Tony stop and breathe for a short second.  
“Can we… Can we just get back to kissing? Please?” Tony asked, his eyes darting in every direction that wasn’t near Stephen.   
“Yeah, of course.” Stephen said, but Tony didn’t calm, still erratic and avoiding his boyfriend's eyes. 

“Hey, look at me,” Stephen gently pulled Tony’s face towards his own. “You don’t have anything to worry about. Okay? It was my fault, I shouldn’t have pushed it.” There was a twanging silence that strung out between the two. When words proved to be futile, Tony just leaned back and kissed Stephen again, but his hands shook and his kiss was stale. Guilt washed over Stephen like a wave; he never wanted to make Tony so panic-stricken and he wished he wasn't quite so stupid as to not ask.   
“Tony,” Stephen whispered. “What’s wrong babe?”   
“Listen, Stephen, I… It’s not like I don’t want… You, or anything, it’s just… I’m not gonna lie, I don’t have the most rockin’ bod in the universe.” Tony scoffed, tripping over every other word. “Probably one of the most messed up bodies actually…”   
“Tony, stop.” Stephen cut him off, taking Tony’s hand into his own. “You are perfect, just the way you are, and you have nothing to be ashamed of. We can go as slow or as fast as you want, but you don't have to feel scared about the way you look. I’ve never seen anyone more beautiful, and what’s underneath your shirt is not going to change that.” Stephen reassured, giving Tony a moment’s pause to mull over his words. “What do you want me to do Tony?”

“Stephen, can… Can you do that again?” Tony radiated with an embarrassed fever and Stephen smiled warmly.   
“Do what again?” Stephen asked, wanting to be absolutely positive.   
“Oh come on, don’t dick around with me. You know what I mean.”   
“Okay okay,” Stephen said through small chuckles, that was answer enough. “I love you Tony.” 

Stephen peppered small kisses on Tony’s neck, drowning him in affection before going a step further. Tony bit back a moan and Stephen lifted his hand back under Tony’s shirt. Stephen kept his eyes closed, mapping out every bump, dent and curve that crisscrossed around Tony’s stomach with his fingertips. The further Stephen’s hand traveled, the more Tony's skin grew bumpy, like little ropes stuck out under his skin and only grew as he got closer to Tony’s Arc Reactor.   
“Stephen,” Tony sighed, tugging at Stephen hair. Stephen kissed the corner of Tony’s lips, small and quick, before lifting the material slowly over Tony’s head, never leaving his boyfriend’s eyes. Stephen was silent as the fabric whistled over his shoulders. As soon as the shirt was completely free of Tony's torso Stephen had glanced down, a gasp parting through his lips. 

The center of his chest glowed a blinding blue, highlighting the near purple ropes that sharply sprung out in all directions. Looking as if his chest was a blueprint to a computer circuit; and his Arc Reactor was the center of it all. His scars were bubbled in wine bruises in some areas and pulsed an angry red in others. Stephen swallowed down the despair balling up in the back of his throat as he kept scanning all throughout Tony's body, his fingers lightly tracing over the ridge that connected skin and steel. It was calloused and thick, almost like he was made of wood than actual skin.   
“Does it hurt?” Stephen whispered, too enraptured by the popping veins that raged all across Tony’s chest.   
“Not… Often,” Tony answered, hissing slightly when Stephen added pressure just below the skin underneath his Arc Reactor.   
“Sorry,” Stephen wrenched his hand back, only to have Tony grab it and place it back.   
“No, no. It’s… It’s fine, just… Cold.” 

Stephen gave a quick glance to Tony, trying to gauge his reaction as he reluctantly started to explore Tony’s chest again. Tony smiled and leaned into his touch, his skin growing redder and redder by the second.   
“See? I’m fine.” Tony muttered, completely lost in a daze of exhilaration. With a careful breath, Stephen continued to poke and prod all around Tony’s exposed torso. His attention especially caught on the hills that made up a circle of contracture scars that roped around the swell of his stomach.   
“You are so unbelievably handsome Tony.” Stephen barely caught himself saying it, his brain working on auto-pilot. Tony just hummed and continued to idly play with Stephen’s hair.

This wasn’t everything that made up Tony and his puzzle of a person, there was still a long way to go when it came to that, but it was a large step forward. Especially for Tony. A sense of admiration overwhelmed Stephen as his hands sat onto the swell of Tony’s naked hips. Tony had a shell protected all around him, but he was slowly chipping himself away in front of Stephen.   
“I love you Tones.”  
“I love you too Stephen.”

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know if you catch anything wrong. Thank you, hope you liked it~


End file.
